title: Study on the antiulcer effects of Veronicastrum axillare on gastric ulcer in rats induced by ethanol based on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and endothelin-1 (ET-1).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether Veronicastrum axillare (V. axillare) can ameliorate ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats, reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suppress apoptosis and improve local microcirculation disturbances.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups, eight rats in each group. Rats in the normal group and the model group were administered with 0.9% normal saline respectively. Rats in the positive group and ranitidine group were administered with 0.18% ranitidine suspension by intragastric administration respectively. Those in the high dose V. axillare group, the medium dose V. axillare group and the low dose V. axillare group were administrated with V. axillare at the daily dose of 2.8 g/kg, 1.4 g/kg and 0.7 g/kg by intragastric administration. Gastric mucosal lesions were produced by intragastric administration of absolute ethanol. Water extract of V. axillare was successively injected for 14 d and last day was injected 1 h before ethanol administration. Gastric mucosal ulcer index and ulcer inhibitory rate were counted by improved Guth methods. The tissue sections were made for pathological histology analysis. Also, we measured the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in gastric mucosal, as an index of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis and local microcirculation. Besides, the mRNA contents of TNF-α and ET-1 were measured to verify effects on gene expression by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Water extract of V. axillare significantly ameliorated the gastric mucosal lesions induced by ethanol administration (P<0.01). Pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and ET-1 were increased after ethanol administration and significantly reduced by water extract of V. axillare. The expressions of TNF-α and ET-1 mRNA were also be inhibited by water extract of V. axillare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current evidences show water extract of V. axillare is effective for defending against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions, significantly inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expressions of TNF-α and ET-1 mRNA, which may be useful for inhibiting apoptosis and improving local microcirculation.
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Weichun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Leilei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jiayan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xishi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhehan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010943:Plantago / Q000737:chemistry*; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D019332:Endothelin-1; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000431:Ethanol; D011899:Ranitidine
keywords: ET-1; Gastric mucosal lesions; Pro-inflammatory cytokines; TNF-α; Veronicastrum axillare (Sieb. et Zucc) Yamazaki